Fighting to Love
by StrawberrieJam
Summary: "Ritsuka likened his situation to an old romance movie. Ritsuka was in love with an oblivious man who was not only attractive and rich with a deep personality, but impossible. Oh, what a sad life." Soubi X Ritsuka, R&R!
1. They Meet

**I don't own Loveless**

* * *

Ritsuka raised his scarf up to cover his reddened nose and knocked on the door lightly. After a few moments, the door swung open, revealing a man with pale, blonde hair and stunning blue eyes. He was clothed in a simple, white sweater and black sweatpants.

"Yes?"

"I-I came here after reading the job offer..." Ritsuka trailed off, forgetting what he had meant to say, "So what I mean is, I'm supposed to look after your cat."

The man raised a thin eyebrow and Ritsuka shrank underneath his scrutinizing glare, wondering if he should have just left. But the pay had been quite tantalizing, and the thought of the money he could earn kept him firmly rooted to the spot.

The man suddenly burst out into laughter and smiled slightly, his thin lips twisting into a wry smile.

"Come in." Ritsuka hesitated-was it safe to follow this man in? Maybe the job offer was nothing but a trap. The man seemed to notice his uneasiness and opened the door wide enough for Ritsuka to see it. "Don't worry, I'm not going to bite you."

Ritsuka entered, slipping off his shoes at the entrance and entering the flat. It was large and spacious, and decorated beautifully. There were paintings and small photos hung on the wall and the general theme was modern but at the same time homey. But what caught Ritsuka's attention was the wall parallel to him. The whole wall was a window, and he could see the bustling streets and the crowded cars beneath it. The sun shone brightly, showering him with a curtain of light.

"Wow," Ritsuka murmured, entranced by how extravagant but cozy the place was. He only stopped ogling the place when he heard a light cough behind him. Blushing, he turned around and faced the man who was leaning against the stove casually.

"Hello. Shall we begin with proper introductions? My name is Agatsuma Soubi. You are...?"

"Ristuka! Aoyagi Ritsuka, I mean." Soubi chuckled lightheartedly.

"So, what do you think of my home? Nice?" Ritsuka nodded fervently.

"It's so beautiful! Everything just matches each other so well, and it's just really nice and organized and its like a puzzle!"

"Thank you. It's what I do for a living. Other than painting, I work on interior designing." Ritsuka glanced at the paintings that he had overlooked before. The strokes were clear and the colors were vivid. Out of all of them, the one that caught Ritsuka's eye was the one nearest to the window. It was a painting of the night sky, with bright stars dotting the background. The silhouette of a young boy (with ears, Ritsuka observed) stood on a bridge above what seemed like a calm river, reaching out to the stars. The water reflected the night sky and Ritsuka wondered if that was a real place. It seemed familiar.

"Wow. Did you paint all of those?"

"I did. How old are you?"

"Me?" Ritsuka mentally kicked himself for asking that as soon as the words left his mouth.

"Yes, you." Soubi smiled slightly, enjoying how cute the kid was.

"I'm 17." Soubi backtracked. Young, but not as young as he thought he was.

"Well, Ritsuka, I'm 25. How about you meet my... child?" Soubi strode to his bedroom and found his gray and white kitten curled up in a little ball on his bed, sleeping silently. He sighed-it was like Bean to be sleeping for so long. He gently picked him up and brought him out to Ritsuka, who was still standing near the doorway, awkwardly scratching his arm. Soubi chuckled for what seemed like the hundreth time at that-the kid was just so adorable! And he still had his ears!

Meanwhile, Ritsuka realized why Soubi no longer had his ears. He was 25! It was a little silly that he had been afraid of such a nice man. Ritsuka saw Soubi approaching him, gently handling the kitten in his arms. Ritsuka straightened up immediately and hesitantly approached him. Was he being too informal?

"Ritsuka?" Ritsuka snapped to attention.

"Y-yes?"

"You aren't scared of cats, right? Because this whole job was for you to look after the cat you know..." Ritsuka blushed a bright red and he jumped into action, reaching his arms out to the kitten.

The kitten awoke almost immediately and stretched on Soubi's arms before daintily hopping onto Ritsuka's arms. The cat pushed herself onto Ritsuka's chest and gently licked his face.

"Wow, that's the first time I've seen her be so _nice_ to someone," Soubi muttered before turning to Ritsuka again, "Anyway, this is Bean."

"Bean...?" Ritsuka looked up at Soubi(his head only reached up to Soubi's shoulders) and furrowed his eyebrows. What a strange name.

"It's because one of my close friends thought that she looked like a gray carioca bean, which was his favorite bean, and therefore took the liberty of naming him. Even though I said not to."

"But then why does she respond to the name?"

"Because he called her so often with that name she got used to it." Soubi shrugged and raised his golden spectacles up his nose. "Well, I don't really care anymore. Anyway, let's go over the job because I should go to work soon. You just need to feed her, play with her for a while and then train her up to some extent. I know she's a cat, but hey, you never know. And you can make whatever you want for lunch. You choose the hours each week." Ristuka nodded once, adding each responsibility to his mental checklist.

"This week, I'll work in the mornings, seven to nine, if its okay with you."

"Sure. I'll be leaving the house at seven, so we'll probably see each other. Anyways, I'm gonna have to go."

Soubi disappeared into his room and reentered, wearing a black suit and a striped tie.

"New client," he said, "wish me luck!"

And with that, he disappeared out the door, leaving Ritsuka to his thoughts with Bean.

* * *

Ritsuka began by cleaning Bean. He didn't know when the last time Soubi had washed her was but it was probably more than a month ago. So he gently led Bean to the bathroom with some yarn after filling the tub with two inches of water. Much to his surprise, the kitten didn't squirm away or scratch him like other cats did but simply sat in the water, seeming to enjoy the water.

Ritsuka played with her for a while with the yarn, making sure she was used to the water before washing her. He started washing her body first and made sure he scrubbed her paws gently but firmly. Bean stared at him with her violet eyes for a while before yawning. Ritsuka quickly finished washing her and dried her off thoroughly-it was obvious that she was sleepy.

Ritsuka carried her into Soubi's bedroom and laid her on the bed, like Soubi instructed him to do. He sat down hesitantly and scratched the base of her ears and stroked her soft fur, eliciting a deep purr that made his hand slightly vibrate.

Ritsuka stood up and started wandering around the dimly lit room(he had only turned on the lamp), even though he knew he really shouldn't be. The walls were a dim yellow and there were multiple photographs on the walls. There were some of a tall, skinny blonde man, who Ritsuka assumed was Soubi, with a man with light green hair. They were smiling widely, their arms around each other's shoulders. Ritsuka was surprised to see that he didn't have ears, even though he seemed to be around his own age.

After a while, Ritsuka got hungry so he went to the kitchen and boiled some cup noodles, since that was all he knew how to cook, and took it to the window to eat. As soon as he was about to take a bite, Bean appeared from the door, stretching, her back arching. Ritsuka laughed and snapped a quick picture with his handy camera. He would show that to Soubi later. He fed Bean some of the canned cat food by the window and they sat together, staring out the window.

It was then that Soubi returned and he had to stare at the image in front of him. A young boy and a kitten eating their separate meals but staring out the window together. Their tails were waving back and forth at the same rhythm and Soubi smiled.

"I'm back," he called, startling the both of them. Ritsuka got up, blushing, empty cup in hand.

"S-sorry. I just got a bit hungry," he said, rubbing his neck nervously.

"It's fine," Soubi assured and took a look at what he was holding, "but you could have eaten something better, like spaghetti. Why'd you eat that?"

Ritsuka blushed a deeper shade of red. "I-I can't really cook," he stammered. Soubi sighed but ruffled his hair, being careful not to touch his ears.

"I'll make you some food before I go next time, okay?"

"O-okay."

And so their routine began.

* * *

**Hello! I just recently read Loveless and just fell in love! I just had to write a fanfic for Ritsuka and Soubi. This is my first Loveless fanfic! The plot line is similar to this fic I read a long time ago, I don't remember the author or the pairing, but it was not an anime. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and please, please, please review! It really inspires me to write. I'm sure you're tired of hearing it from other writers as well but it really is a huge treat to read through the reviews.**

**-Strawberry**


	2. They Celebrate

**I don't own Loveless**

* * *

Ritsuka and Soubi fell into a pattern quite easily and quickly.

Ritsuka would come to find Soubi gone or see Soubi on the way in, he'd play with Bean, train him for a while, eat the prepared lunch, play a little more and then leave.

One day as he was leaving, Soubi stopped him.

"Do you want to stay for a while and drink something warm? It's awfully cold out there today." Ritsuka checked the time. He had some time before his curfew.

"Alright," he agreed and sat down at one of the stools at the kitchen. Soubi put some milk on the stove and he sat across from Ritsuka, resting his chin on his hands. Ritsuka stared at the milk slowly bubbling, ears twitching, letting Soubi know he knew that he was looking at him.

"When's your birthday?" Soubi asked softly.

"December 21," Ritsuka responded. Soubi said nothing and turned off the fire and began pouring the milk into a cup with cocoa powder. He mixed it evenly and handed it to Ritsuka. He sipped it slowly, wondering why Soubi was holding him back. Did he have something to say?

"Do you want to watch something?" Ritsuka nodded. The silence was about to suffocate him. Soubi made his way to the large, flat screen T.V and turned it on. "What do you like? Spongebob?"

"Um... Can we watch National Geographics? I prefer that." Soubi masked his slight surprise; children of all age usually watched Spongebob. No one really watched the National Geographics.

"Sure. Come on over."

Ritsuka clutched his cup and made his way over to Soubi, who was reclining on his brown, leather couch. The couch was softer than it looked, Ritsuka realized as he sank in, and he made himself comfortable. The two watched a hawk eating a snake in comfortable silence, the only sound being the narrator explaining the hawk's behavior.

All too soon, the blissful moment was over, and Ritsuka returned home, shivering at the biting, icy winds.

* * *

After a couple of weeks, Ritsuka decided to change his schedule so that he would be there for the night time, instead of the morning. The school schedule had changed, forcing him to change all of his other schedules. Soubi happily complied.

Ritsuka, however, nearly died from shock.

When he first knocked on the door, the door swung open to reveal a topless Soubi drying off his hair with a damp towel. A pair of gray sweatpants were riding low on his hips, revealing the band of his black boxers.

"Welcome in, Ritsuka."

Ritsuka could only stutter and try desperately to look away from the deliciously toned abs. Why, oh why was Soubi doing this to him.

"Y-you should put a shirt on next time. What if it wasn't me?" Ritsuka asked, fighting down the blush that was threatening to make its way onto his face.

"I knew it would be you, Ritsuka," Soubi said lightly, laughing. "Why, does it bother you that someone else might see me like this?"

"N-no! Of course not! Why would that bother me?"

"Just teasing," Soubi said, heading back into his room, "I'm going to be working, so you do your stuff here, okay?"

Ritsuka nodded and began with his job, but could only focus on the turmoil of emotions in his chest. It was cheesy and cliche, but the only way Ritsuka could describe his feelings at the moment were through his heartbeat and the word "warm".

Ritsuka likened his situation to an old romance movie.

Ritsuka was in love with an oblivious man who was not only attractive and rich with a deep personality, but impossible.

Oh, what a sad life.

* * *

On Ritsuka's birthday, he was surprised to see that when he walked in, Soubi was already dressed and ready to leave.

"This late in the night?" Ritsuka asked.

"It's only seven."

"Still," Ritsuka chided.

"Well, no matter. Let's go." Ritsuka cocked his head to the side slightly, his ears twitching.

"What? Go where?"

"Out. It's your birthday isn't it?" Soubi watched Ritsuka's ears perk up in excitement, although the boy's face showed nothing but a slightly confused expression.

"Why?" Soubi's thin eyebrows arched so high until Ritsuka thought they would disappear into his hairline. "Okay, okay. That was dumb. But what about Bean?"

"She can take care of herself for one day, don't worry. Now come on!" Soubi dragged Ritsuka out the door and into the city.

The sky was already nearly a deep, midnight blue. The wind was chilly but Ritsuka was close enough to feel Soubi's heat. Soubi led them to a small, comfortable cafe that practically radiated warmth and happiness. They found a small booth near the windows, where they could watch people passing by, their noses hidden in the comforts of their clothing.

"What would you like?" a waiter dressed in a simplle striped brown and white outfit approached them, menus in hand. When she noticed Soubi, she tucked her hair behind her ear and took special care to make him notice her.

"Spaghetti with no meatballs," he said, handing her the menu.

"What about you?" she asked, still gazing at Soubi but directing her words to Ritsuka. He sighed.

"What he got," he muttered, "if you can even remember with all that staring." The waiter shot him a deadly glare before returning to her ministrations.

"And would you like a drink?" she asked, batting her eyelashes.

"Coke, for me. Juice for Ritsuka."

"Alright. I'll be right back." Ritsuka rolled his eyes at the annoying, dumb waitress and turned his attention to Soubi.

"Didn't you even notice?"

"Of course I did. But you're far more important right now." Ritsuka's heart beat began to pick up at the words. Was that a... subtle confession? "You know, it is your birthday today. So I should shower you with love," he continued nonchalantly. Ritsuka's blood froze and he could feel a wave of disappointment crashing into him.

Soubi watched as Ritsuka's tail drooped slightly before draping itself on Ritsuka's legs.

"What's wrong? Did I say something weird?"

"No... It's nothing," Ritsuka said, staring out the window. "Look, it's snowing!" Soubi turned to his right and sure enough, small flakes of white could be seen falling onto the emptying crowds.

"It's snowing on your birthday. Aren't you happy?" Soubi asked.

"Of course I am! This is the first time, ever!" Ritsuka's eyes were shimmering with excitement and his tail was swaying from side to side.

The waitress returned, balancing the food on her arms like the professional she was. She set the food down, making sure to display her assets to Soubi before carelessly setting down Ritsuka's food.

Ritsuka sighed but decided a snobby waitress wasn't going to ruin his day. He dug in, content with the way things were going. Soubi smiled at the sight before eating his own food.

When they finished, they stepped back outside, to see that a thin layer of snow had blanketed the city. They walked back to Soubi's home slowly, taking a stroll through the park nearby. It was quiet, for once, and they talked about random things, enjoying the presence of each other.

At Soubi's home, Ritsuka was presented with yet another surprise. Soubi had a wrapped box and a small cake ready for him. The box was as long as Ritsuka's forearm and as wide as his torso. It was wrapped in a pink and white polka dotted soft fabric which he ripped eagerly. Underneath was a shiny, expensive looking camera. At a closer inspection, Ritsuka realized it was the exact camera he had been dreaming about for the past few weeks.

"How...?"

"You used my computer, silly. I can see what you search up you know." Ritsuka blushed in what seemed like a record time but he ignored the heat and chose to hug Soubi tightly instead. Soubi was surprised-he knew the boy would enjoy the day but he didn't expect him to be so happy.

"Thank you," Ritsuka whispered, "today has been the best birthday I've ever had."

Soubi patted his back gently and ruffled his hair.

"For my favorite boy, of course." Ritsuka ignored the darker shade of red that blossomed on his cheeks and broke away.

"Is this chocolate?"

"Chocolate mousse. My own personal favorite."

"I love chocolate mousse!" Ritsuka exclaimed, before taking a quick bite. The mousse had the perfect ratio of bread to chocolate that he enjoyed. "This is perfect!" He grinned brightly.

Soubi knew, even if Ritsuka hadn't told him, his joy. His ears were straight on his head, and his tail was wagging from side to side so quickly that Soubi would think he was a dog.

"I'm glad you enjoy it," Soubi said, and smiled.

"I haven't been this happy in such a long time," Ritsuka said, "Thank you so much." Soubi smiled again.

He hadn't been this happy in months either.

* * *

**Hello! Well, a little more progress. I just wanted to say that this is the same world with Fighters and Sacrifices (as you will see in the next chapter (spoiler?)) but Ritsuka and Soubi have perfectly fine parents, and they don't know eachother or anything. None of the incidents in the manga have occurred. **

**I want your feedback and comments, because, like I said, it really, really brightens up my day. And it makes me sad when I see the number of people who don't review because that must mean my writing is terrible terrible terrible.**

**The next part will be the last part!**

**Please, review!**

**-Blackberry**


	3. They Break

**I don't own Loveless**

* * *

A couple days after Ritsuka's beautiful birthday, a woman began coming to Soubi's apartment. She was tall, skinny, curvaceous, and beautiful. She introduced herself as Hitomi Shinonome, and said she was Soubi's client, who just wanted to brainstorm with him.

Ritsuka thought nothing more of it. But every time she stayed over, Soubi would ask if Ritsuka could leave earlier.

One particularly chilly day, Ritsuka waited in front of the door after knocking gently. He pulled his scarf up to cover his nose and sniffed, trying to keep his nose from running. The temperature change always made his nose into a faucet. After a while, he knocked again, louder this time, wondering if Soubi hadn't heard. The door opened to reveal Soubi, who was wearing a loosely tied bathrobe, looking out of breath and generally disheveled, his hair poking out randomly.

"Who is it?" a feminine voice called, and Ritsuka could see the outline of a naked woman on the bed through the space in between Soubi and the door.

"No one," Soubi called back.

Ritsuka felt his heart tremble at the words.

Was he really nothing to Soubi?

"Look, Ritsuka," Soubi began, "Can you take Bean out with you and come back at nine? I'm a bit busy right now. I'll pay you extra if you want."

Ritsuka grabbed Bean, who was peeking up at him from the doorframe and left, refusing to look back at Soubi. Their activities had been sorely obvious yet Soubi hadn't even the shame to try to cover it up. Tears began dripping down Ritsuka's sharp chin. He made his way out into the cold winter night and walked to the park, hoping the cold would soothe him.

He sat down on a green bench forlornly, making sure to put Bean in his jacket so he was warm. Ritsuka might have been rude to the owner, but he would always treat animals with care.

"Hey Bean," Ritsuka whispered, feeling more tears escape his eyes, "why is this happening to me? Soubi could have been gay at the least. Then I would feel like I had a chance."

Bean, as if sensing her second master's pain, licked Ritsuka's tears away, the rough buds on her tongue massaging his face. Normally, Ritsuka would slightly reprimand Bean but he brought his knees up to his chest and leaned on them, facing Bean, who was still partially hidden. Her eyes glinted in the rising moon's beams.

"It hurts so much, right here," Ritsuka continued, pointing at his chest, "it feels like someone just ripped my heart out. I feel so empty and hollow. What is this, Bean? Why am I feeling this?"

Bean's violet eyes gazed back at him sadly, and she nuzzled her soft head against his cheek. Tears were spilling out uncontrollably now, rolling down the side of his face. A heart wrenching sob broke through his throat and Ritsuka cried, giving up at suppressing his tears. He felt like he was drowning in a lake, close to the surface but unable to move to breathe. He cried for what seemed like hours, thoroughly soaking his shirt.

When he heard footsteps coming near him, he desperately pawed at his eyes as though something was in them. He looked up to see Shinonome smiling at him.

"Soubi says you can go inside," she said gently, "Oh! Is that his kitten? How cute." She lifted a hand to pet her but Bean hissed and bit her finger in a non too friendly greeting. "Ouch! What a bad kitty. Bad mister!" She retracted her finger immediately, and held it close to herself. She sent an ugly glare toward the kitten and made to hit her on the head.

Ritsuka pulled away harshly, keeping Bean away from her reach. "Bean is a female. And thank you." Without another word, Ritsuka left the injured woman and trudged up the staircase to Soubi's house. Ritsuka didn't lie to himself; he was stalling. He was afraid of seeing Soubi after what he had just recently witnessed; he was afraid that he would cry again or he would explode in his face. When Ritsuka managed to calm his frayed nerves, he knocked, his customary greeting, and waited for the door to open. The door did open, but slowly and approximately ten minutes later.

"Hey, sorry fo- Ritsuka? Have you been crying? Did something happen?" Soubi gingerly placed a hand on his cheeks to wipe away the nearly dried streaks of water. Ritsuka thrust Bean into Soubi's hands and shoved his hands away. Ritsuka couldn't believe his own movements. Apparently, his body had decided to go with the latter option: explode in Soubi's face.

"Nothing happened. It's not your problem anyway," Ritsuka snapped, his brain deciding it would be nice to add on to the done damage. Almost immediately, he felt tears building at the back of his eyes again. Soubi reeled back in surprise.

"Ritsuka, I thought you were different. I'm disappointed in you. I'm sorry, but I'm tired. I'll pay you tomorrow." With one more disappointed look, Soubi retreated into his house and Ritsuka cursed, slamming his hand into the wall.

* * *

Shinonome disappeared after a couple of days, much to Ritsuka's secret delight. Ritsuka and Soubi didn't speak, save for a few hurried _'hello'_s and '_bye'_s.

Each time this happened, Ritsuka would half wish that he had never snapped at Soubi but whenever he saw himself shivering in the cold by himself, it made him angry and bitter. To make Soubi feel terrible, Ritsuka purposely coughed loudly around him and sneezed. He drained Soubi's whole tissue supply in an effort to keep Ritsuka's "runny" nose under control.

And as the days passed, things just got more and more tense.

Soubi distanced himself away from Ritsuka, never touching him and going so far as to make sure there was always a three foot distance in between them.

Ritsuka tried to pretend that it didn't affect him, that he wasn't hurt but every single time, he would have to go to the bathroom to heal his broken heart.

One day, Ritsuka approached the familiar door, only to find an unfamiliar sign.

_'Ritsuka-_

_I am no longer in need of someone who watches my cat. Thanks for all your time. _

_Soubi.'_

Ritsuka was shell shocked.

Not even a word of regret.

There wasn't even a hint of sadness at their separation.

It was nothing but a sign, stating the harsh truth in Ritsuka's face.

Soubi didn't need him.

* * *

**Hello! This chapter is shorter than all the others, but the next and final chapter (I promise) will be longer.**

**Thanks to: **

**Nekoz Rule:Thank you for your compliment, it means a lot to me! (: And the latest events are killing me T_T  
**

**Ennu: Well, the green head was supposed to be Kio. I wasn't sure what his hair color was because I only read the manga but in the anime, apparently its green. And, well, the person isn't Kio. But how do you feel? Honestly, I hated myself as I wrote this part because I felt so bad for Ritsuka. **

**Dragonfly: A secret between you and me: I wrote the whole story before hand, I was just breaking it up (: Thank you! I enjoyed writing that part.**

**As usual, please review! You guys seriously make my day with your comments, so please, please, please review! Just drop a smiley face if you want, I don't even mind. I'll even take frowny faces! But guys, you don't even have to go and open a new page, and anon reviews are on! So, review away!**

**-Blueberry**


	4. They Love

**I don't own Loveless**

* * *

Ritsuka, his friends realized, was not there.

Sure, Ritsuka was still _physically_ there; he was breathing, eating, and sleeping.

But the Ritsuka that was happy, enjoyed taking pictures and was easy to read, was gone.

Even his ears and tail didn't move, no matter what happened.

The other day, Yuiko had gotten Yayoi to do a handstand-with much effort-and called to Ritsuka.

"Ritsuka, Ritsuka! Look! Yayoi's doing a handstand!" Yuiko gestured wildly toward the struggling boy, whose face was beginning to turn red from the effort.

Ritsuka slowly lifted his head from the table and turned to look at the rambunctious pair, his dull violet eyes seeming to look through them.

"A-aren't you going to take a picture...?" Yuiko asked, a drop of fear filling her heart.

Ritsuka turned back to his desk mechanically and laid his head down, without even showing that he had heard. Yayoi dropped down with a thud and despite the pain, he looked up at Yuiko. They shared a worried look before quickly glancing at the silent boy.

Something was going on.

* * *

"Ritsuka, dear?" Misaki asked, concerned that her son wasn't eating. "Are you okay? Has something happened? Is it because you got fired?"

Ritsuka's head turned sharply and he sent a cold glare at his mother. Misaki frowned slightly. Ritsuka was never this... unapproachable.

"No. I quit," he lied. Misaki shook her head, sighing slightly before giving her son a small smile.

"That's a shame. But you can find other jobs dear, it's going to be okay. Besides, it was only one job," she said, patting his hand gently.

Ritsuka looked away.

* * *

Ritsuka decided he couldn't handle it anymore.

He shot up from his bed, rubbing his forehead and wiping away the beads of sweat that had formed at his temples. The nap that he had taken had somehow changed from a pleasant dream to a nightmare.

Soubi was tormenting him even in his dreams, always at arms length but slipping out of reach at the last second. He couldn't live like this for much longer.

He checked the clock. It was eight. No matter, he'd just go to Soubi's apartment.

Ritsuka hurriedly threw on a random sweater and jeans and ran out the door, throwing a random excuse at his mom.

Ritsuka walked the dark streets, feeling all kinds of emotions surfacing. He formed sentences in his head, reciting what he would say to Soubi. As he entered the familiar park, signaling he was nearby Soubi's apartment, he felt a shadow behind him.

"Well, well, well. Look's like we found our dinner," a low voice said, from the dark shadows cast by the malfunctioning lamps. A tall, burly man stepped forward, his nose slight crooked. His dark gray hair was plastered to his scalp, as if he had just taken a shower. Behind him, another form emerged, a woman, with long auburn hair reaching her hips. Her eyes were red and her lips were even redder, like they had been stained with blood.

"Mmm, this one looks delicious, honey. He still has his ears!"

Ritsuka's tail wrapped around his thigh. Who were these people? Did he know them? Fear began creeping into him, anxiety gnawing at the pits of his stomach.

"W-who are you?" he asked, slightly annoyed that his voice wasn't as confident as it sounded in his head.

"We are Lightless," the man said, approaching him slowly. His eyes were cruel and his lips were forming an ugly smile.

"We prey in the night, and we take all the ones straying from the light," the woman continued, licking her lips slowly. Her heels clicked against the pavement as she neared him as well.

Ritsuka walked backwards slowly, cursing when he felt the bench at the back of his knees.

"Don't try to run, Loveless. There's no where to go," the man cracked his knuckles and whispered something in the air. Ritsuka tried to move but realized with horror that he was frozen to the ground. It was as if he was encased in glass, although he could still feel the sharp wind cutting his cheeks. _Loveless_. His "true" name, his brother had said. His brother, also a Sacrifice, had taught him some of the qualities of being a Sacrifice but he was still unable to find his Fighter unit,

"He's just so cute, Aki," the woman said, squealing as she stroked his cheek. Ritsuka closed his eyes.

This was it. This was how he was going to die.

It was a little sad he hadn't got to meet his Fighter yet; he had wanted to try a battle.

He opened his eyes and watched as her long, black nails stopped caressing him, only to pierce his skin.

Ritsuka scowled, but he refused to make a noise. A thin stream of blood flowed down his cheek, making it look like he was crying tears of blood. Ritsuka felt that this image fit him when he cried for Soubi.

A hand yanked at his tail and he bit back a scream. He never let anyone touch his tail, ever. Yet here was a stranger who was carelessly running their hands up and down his fur. Ritsuka bit his lip, feeling the hands near his rear; he had never felt so violated and vulnerable in his life.

"Pretty low of you, huh?" a new voice entered the scene. The pair turned around sharply at the voice, eyes narrowing.

"Who are you?" the woman called out, challenging the speaker to come forward.

"My name is Soubi," he said, as the blonde man stepped forward. He carefully removed his glasses and dropped them into his breast pocket. "Attacking someone who doesn't even have a fighter?" he asked, shaking his head.

"Shut up," the man growled, ready to fight.

"Aki, rip him to shreds," the woman commanded, never leaving her place next to Ritsuka.

Ritsuka watched Soubi with glimmering hope.

"The hidden shadows of the night, attack the enemy with unseen blades!" Aki shouted.

"Light of the moon, descend and defend."

Ritsuka watched as a bright light from the sky fell, causing Aki to jump back slightly. A heavy panting next to him had him looking over to the see the woman clutching her arm, blood seeping from her wound.

"Are you okay?" Aki asked, without turning around, seeming to sense his partner's pain.

"Just hurry up!"

"Cloak of darkness, blind the enemy!"

"Stars, shower us and obliterate."

A curtain of light came down in specks, gentle at first, but falling faster and harder. The woman cried out and chains gripped her neck and her limbs. As more stars fell, a gag appeared on her mouth.

"Darkness, enshroud!"

"Light, purify!"

With that, the woman collapsed, bound so completely she couldn't move.

"Shiko!" Aki cried, and caught her as she collapsed, cradling her head in his arms. "What do you want?" he asked Soubi, who effortlessly dusted his hands.

"Leave, and never return." Aki growled but the bounds shimmered once before dissolving into the air. He carried the unconscious woman and took off into the night, whispering into her ear.

Ritsuka fell onto the bench, the spell having been released.

Ritsuka cried so much for Soubi that he thought every single tear had been squeezed from his body. It hurt to cry now. Yet here he was, tears already threatening to spill.

Soubi and Ritsuka stared at each other, silence filling the gap.

"I'll patch up your cheek," Soubi said quietly, before walking away, leaving Ritsuka to follow.

When they got to his house, Soubi said as he promised and cleaned the blood before putting a bandaid on it.

"You shouldn't walk around in the night like that. It isn't safe." Soubi hesitated before opening the door, "Goodbye."

A surge of anger filled Ritsuka and he tore the door away from Soubi's grip and slammed it shut. Soubi turned to him, shock evident in his cerulean eyes.

"Stop avoiding me!" Ritsuka yelled angrily.

"I'm not avoiding you," Soubi replied calmly, "Now, if you wo-"

"Stop it! I can tell you're avoiding me! What did I do wrong?!"

"Nothing. As I wrote to you, I don't need a trainer anymore. I don't need anyone to watch over Bean. She behaves fine now."

"Soubi... How could you do this to me?" Ritsuka asked, his voice cracking.

"Ritsuka, I'm busy, can you pl-"

"Why? I'm not going to leave until you answer," Ritsuka pleaded, his ears flattened against his head. His eyes were glistening with unshed tears threatening to fall, a vortex of emotions visible. Soubi sighed, studying the younger male's face. He was obviously determined to stay. He had no choice.

"I'm going to tell you a story," Soubi said leaning against the counter, facing the wall and away from Ritsuka, "and if I tell you, you have to leave. Okay?"

"O-okay," Ritsuka's voice shook.

"Once upon a time, there was an earl. He was rich and getting old but he was unhappy. One day, a young boy came to work for him. He was beautiful and pure and innocent. Before he knew it, the earl was in love. He fell in love with the boy. But his feelings were forbidden. The boy was too young for him and they were in two different worlds. So the earl found a woman to release his pent up frustration on but even that didn't work. So he fired the boy. He lived alone again, rich and older. And the earl killed himself because he couldn't bear to live alone without the boy," Soubi's last words hung in the air. Soubi closed his eyes. He had said it.

A pair of thin arms wrapped around Soubi's waist, and he opened his eyes, surprised. He looked down to make sure he wasn't dreaming, but sure enough, he could see the familiar jacket.

"Stupid," Ritsuka said softly, his voice raw with emotions, "why couldn't you see? I loved you since the day I met you, Soubi. Why couldn't you see it? I was always willing to talk to you. When you brought that woman over, I was so angry, Soubi. I thought you knew. And when you came today, I thought you knew how I felt. I love you."

Soubi turned around slowly, unwilling to believe what he had heard. When he looked down, he saw Ritsuka's expressive violet eyes gazing up at him, a mixture of pain, anguish, hope and love swirling in them.

"I-"

"Do you love me?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Then stay with me."

And Soubi did, wrapping his arms around Ritsuka's lithe body, drinking in his scent, his form, his everything.

They were one. They were Loveless.

* * *

**Wow okay. The last sentence was super weird but I wanted to stick it in there that they bonded and that they were now a pair. **

**That was honestly the most lovey-dovey thing I have ever written in my entire life. And I suck at battle scenes too.**

**I'm sorry if the ending didn't meet your expectations, but I really tried.**

**Nekoz Rule:Yes! All the berries in the world! kekeke! You've read like all of my stories, so I don't even know what to say either! Thank you for reading my terrible works haha!  
**

**sugar-ninja: Yes! Go Bean! I love Bean, although I hate most beans.. Anyway, thanks for reading, and yes, soon= today! :D I hope you enjoyed!**

**Icicle: I know~ Hopefully, your anger was released here. (:**

**Persephone Rosamunde: Wow, that is such a flattering compliment! Thank you so much!**

**Ennu: Thanks for sticking with me! And this crap! (:**

**soubi: I know, Soubi comes out quite rude at that point. But yes, it is Soubi x Ritsuka, haha! (:**

**Flightless: Wow, I don't think any of my fics have ever had that effect on anyone. Maybe he was aware all along! Haha~**

**Dragonfly: I'm glad to hear you are excited. :D**

**Please, as always, review! I'd love to know what you thought of this fic in it's entirety! Or just this chapter~ 3**

**-Mulberry**


End file.
